On January 21, 2024, Rev. Dr. Linda Barkman was named the Disciple of the Year of the Pacific Southwest Region (PSWR). Last fall, PSWR’s Church in Society Committee approved a Camile Christian Church Grant application prepared by Rev. Dr. Barkman (and others) for a major social justice outreach into the California prisons. In 2022, through a Camile CC Grant, she coordinated some 975 Christmas packets for Women; through a 2023 Camile CC Grant, she expanded that into the Men’s prisons as well with 3,600 Christmas packets.
Rev. Dr. Barkman has three books published on prison ministries and more forthcoming. Having spent 30 years incarcerated, she set the California record for the most parole grants (11) and Governors’ vetoes (10). She is candid about her conviction based upon not stopping the man she was with from killing her daughter. While incarcerated, she served as a chaplain to the women in the prison psychiatric unit, completed advanced degree work, and is now First Christian Church in Fullerton’s Social Justice Pastor-at-Large and an active member of the PSWR’s Church in Society Committee. Her vision for social justice is exemplary, and she is making California history through her outreaches in our prisons.
Actively continuing to serve Jesus Christ through her many ministries, she demonstrates redemptive, ongoing love in her life.
Rev. Dr. Linda Barkman responded, “I think who deserves the award more is all of you of [the] PSWR and you of First Christian Church Fullerton in particular. Cause what you do, you saw an ex-convict and you said, ‘We accept you. We like you! We’ll support you. We’ll ordain you, and now we’ll give you money,’ so you can do what’s in your heart, which is just love your brothers and sisters in prison. Thank you so much. I am honored but be honored yourselves. You are amazing. Thank you.”